Fourteen-year-old Dylan Acree, cheered on by his parents, Doug and Melissa, hasn't let pervasive developmental disorder prevent him from participating on the Little Vikings football team. Justin Zaremba/NJ.com

PARSIPPANY — Not many football players have the support of the opposing team, but not many football players are like 14-year-old Dylan Acree.

Dylan suffers from pervasive developmental disorder, an autism-spectrum disorder which causes delays in socialization and communication, but it hasn't stopped him from participating in activities enjoyed by many typically-developing teens.

While many individuals with PDD are socially withdrawn, Melissa Acree, Dylan's mother, said her son pushed to join the football team. Dylan is high-functioning but he is challenged with language and social situations, Acree said, so she was reluctant at first to let him join the Parsippany Little Vikings football team — a junior high football league.

Acree said the team was "a blessing" because it had opened doors for Dylan to be accepted by his peers. More than anything, she said, it was the coaches and players who embraced Dylan as a member of the team.

"They allowed a kid who doesn’t even understand the game to play in the
game and experience the camaraderie of the team," Acree said. "They made
exceptions for an exceptional kid. We are truly blessed to be involved
with an organization and a team of players who demonstrate this type of
leadership, character and compassion."

At almost every game for the past three seasons, the Little Vikings and their opposing team ran an exhibition play at half time where the teams would line up on the 20-yard line and simulate a play allowing Dylan to receive a pass and make a touchdown. Dylan later throws the ball through the goal posts.

Coach Chris Joyce said the entire Little Vikings football team — and
even their opponents — had shown nothing but support for Dylan by helping him to run his exhibition play at half time.

"It's uplifting," Joyce said. "Seeing kids rally around him just makes you feel good inside."

While the points aren't counted from the exhibition play, Dylan will have a chance on Sunday to participate in his first — and last — Little Vikings football game of his career, by kicking off the football at the start of their last game of the season.

"I'm happy because I can't wait," Dylan said.

Not everyone has been as understanding, though; some students in school have laughed at and singled out Dylan because of repetitive movements he frequently makes.

One of the characteristics of PDD is that individuals engage in
stereotypy, which is repetitive or ritualistic movement, posture or
utterances.

Dylan's teammates Billy Taylor and Vinnie Bianchi said
they and other members of the team wouldn't allow other kids to laugh at Dylan, so they stood up for him. Taylor said the entire team was very protective of
Dylan, while Bianchi said Dylan was "a cool kid who is fun to be around."

Dylan moves up to high school next year so he won't be able to participate in football at that level, but he said has enjoyed his time on the team and his team members.